While I’m sure that hard rock diehards know each of these underrated guitarists from the 1980s all too well, general mainstream audiences might not know who they are at all. That’s a real shame, because these three legendary and talented guitarists deserve their flowers. They helped make the 1980s a killer time for rock music, after all. Let’s take a look!
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John Norum
John Norum is behind the insane guitar track found on the legendary 1986 song, “The Final Countdown”, by Swedish hard rock outfit Europe. And it’s a shame that he isn’t more of a household name. During the band’s early prog years, Norum was shredding his way through some of the band’s best songs. “Scream Of Anger” and “Aphasia” are essential listening if you really want a taste of his talent. Though, it’s worth noting that he is still part of the band today, and he has also enjoyed quite a successful solo career.
Akira Takasaki
An underrated guitarist from an underrated metal band that didn’t quite launch in the US. The Japanese heavy metal outfit Loudness has been around since 1981 and are still going strong today, and Akira Takasaki remains one of the few original members of the band. Honestly, Takasaki’s riff from “Crazy Nights” from 1984 is still one of the best metal riffs of the 1980s, period. But the band definitely didn’t stop while they were hot in the 80s. They’re still together today and have released dozens of albums since their formation. “Soldier Of Fortune” is another great song worth checking out to get a feel for Takasaki’s shredding talents.
Mark St. John
Mark St. John makes it to our list of underrated guitarists from the 1980s, mainly because other members of KISS are much bigger household names than he is. We all know Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, Peter Criss, etc. Mark St. John was only in the band for one year in 1984 and can be heard on the record Animalize, but he deserves a bit more credit for his talents, in my opinion. “I’ve Had Enough (Into the Fire)”, along with “Heaven’s On Fire”, are top-notch songs that show off his skills. Sadly, St. John died in 2007, but his legacy lives on as one of KISS’ most talented members.
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